TBT Race - Transilvania Bike Trails Race

TBT Race, or Transilvania Bike Trails Race, is a competition that aims to promote the area of the Saxon settlements where the Transilvania Bike Trails Network is located, i.e. Viscri, Criț, Bunești, Cloașterf, Meșendorf, Saschiz and now even Sighișoara because the path reaches in town and it is really very beautiful.

At the same time, TBT Race is not just a mountain bike competition, it is a 5-day festival where every day there is a cultural tour, visiting craftsmen, fortifications, respectfully renovated houses, there is music, film screenings, good food, gastronomic events, children's school, bonfire party, and every day we go out for a bike ride.

The story of the event is related to the origin of the routes. About 15 years ago, I used to come to the area with the adventure team from that time for training, the team made up of Allen Coliban and Cornel Stanciu from Bunești. Since then, the idea of marking the routes appeared and then, after Cornel joined the Adept Foundation, the opportunity to pave them appeared because on one occasion we got quite muddy with our guests from Hungary, from Merida. After the paving, the first 2 competitions were held for children from the area and for the launch of the different sections of the route. The paths were made with Norwegian and Swiss funds accessed by the Adept Foundation, with local work and volunteering from time to time.

Why Saschiz, of all places?

The first official edition of TBT Race was in 2014, on a single distance, and had the start and finish in Viscri, the village we were closest to and where we were hosted, as always, by Mihai and Raluca from Viscri 125, a place that inspired us, motivated us, helped us to overcome moments of stress and relaxed us afterwards.

The second edition was moved to Criț because we wanted to promote each village separately.

In the 3rd edition, the event grew a lot and we moved the start to Saschiz with 3 distances, instead of one. We found a very nice camping site, surrounded by fir trees, for those who could not find accommodation or who wanted to have the experience of camping in nature. Also, there were more places available for accommodation closer to Sighisoara. In Saschiz we could also find a larger open area for the start of the competition, concerts, exhibitions and relaxation. We were helped by the municipality with the infrastructure and especially with the parking lots so that we don't have so many cars on the beautiful streets or used for the competition. People got more involved, especially those from the Adept Foundation.

Thus, in 2019 TBT Race became the 2nd largest competition in Romania with 1455 participants, participants who come with their families for several days.

The competition is international, cyclists come not only from neighboring countries, but from more distant ones too, to spend their vacation here. Last year's video with the Norwegian Willy Fredriksen, who has been coming with his friends since the first edition, is a good example of how Romania or this area can be seen through the contest.

Almost anyone willing to exercise can participate in the competition, because we have made the distances accessible to everyone, based on experience. For the little ones, there is also a mtb school with classes every day before the competition.

 Why should anyone go to TBT Race this year?

People should go to TBT for the multitude of activities they can choose from, for meeting other people, for the natural attractions, for an active vacation, for the history of places that you can get closer to with a guide and with local activities, for music, for the organization that we try to maintain at a level that few countries have, even if we don't have many resources, for the superb medals inspired by local elements, for the awards ceremony, for what everyone likes, for what they can give and for what they can receive to create a good atmosphere.